Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-05-04
Tne county Assessment,

The County Assessment.
We clip the following from the
Times OF Sunday last:
L. G. Morehouse, member OF the
State Board of Equalization, is in
this city looking after the assessments
of property in this section Of the
county, in company with :. L. Gaf..
fey, also a member of the Board, and
. resident or Los Angeles. Mr.. Dunn
viii be in town in day or two. Mr..
Norehouse was seen by Times re-
porter last night, and questioned re-
garding the assessments OF this
county as compared with other ooun-
ties.
"Of course, I have not yet had
time to thoroughly examine the mat
ter said Mr.. Morehouse, but l am
satisfied from what l have seen that
the assessments in your city and
county have not kept pace with the
wonderful increase in prices. For
instance, the Baldwin ranch is
assessed at $50, 900, and it would sell
for over 81 900 600, and find that the
same state of affairs exists in the city.
Ali we want is to see things equalized,
and now that you have Republican
in the County Assessors office, an
ticipate big change in the next
assessment roll. We shall be here a
few days longer, when | will go to
San Diego and see what they are do
ing for the welfare of the State in
that county,"
From this it would appear to be the
opinion Of the Times and Mr.. More
house that it is only when we have a
Republican in the County Assessors
Office" that we may expect a fair
assessment. Now, the only fair way
in which to Judge an Assessors work
is by the numbe OF appeals from his
assessment to the Board Of Super
visors. Unless the assessment is fair
and equal there will be many
appeals to the Board. Where
thousands OF men are assessed
many are sure to ascertain whether
they are fairly dealt with by the AS
SCISSOR, and il they are not, an appeal
follows. Now, what are the facts +?
Mr.. Bilderrain is Democrat, and
was our Assessor for the four years
past, and during these years appeals
from his assessments were unknown ;
but from present indications the APP
peals against this years assessment
will be so numerous as TO occupy a
month or so OF the time of the Board
of Supervisors.
Last year the State Board OF Equal
ixation considered our assessment a
fair one and did not raise it.
We notice in the above extract
from the Times, that "Mr. More
house was questioned by Times re :
porter regarding the assessments of
this County as compared with other
counties" We also notice that Mr..
Morehouse was silent upon the ques-
ton. 1t is our opinion that We have
been for years assessed at higher
pro rata OF values than in
any other county in this State. Mr..
Bilderrain, during his term of office.
was at great pains and expense to
ascertain the values put upon lands
by the Assessors in other counties;
and in assessing this county he was
guided to a certain extent by the
knowledge so obtained. This was
the proper course for him to have
pursued. Taxation should be equal
upon all; and the nearer all Assessors
in the State assess on the same basis
of values, the nearer we come to
equal taxation. AS far as county
taxes are concerned, it would make
no difference to us il we were assessed
over or under values, if we were all
assessed. But when it comes
to State taxes, if We are assessed
higher in proportion to the other
in the State, it follows that
we pay more than our share OF these
taxes. We hear complaints from all
quarters Of the county against the
values being put upon land by the
present assessor and his deputies.
In some instances they are said to be
too low; and from great
many, especially the owners of dry
mesa lands, come complaints
hat the Assessors values are from 800
% 400 per cent. higher than they |
Ihould be. We understand that our
assessor has stated that he will not
AXE into account how lands are being
Issessed in other counties; and we
AVE heard it stated that our assess
nsnt will be more than double. per-
laps three times what it was last
'ear. Under this state Of affairs it
vii follow, unless we get relief from
-. Il. ~ 4 XXX.